Pharmacy bill makes it to governor's desk

In the end, expanded practice powers for pharmacists, but not nurse practitioners or optometrists, made it to the governor’s desk.

Senate Bill 493 was one of three pieces of legislation introduced by state Sen. Edward Hernandez, D-West Covina, that sought to expand the practice powers of the three categories of medical professionals.

Last week, the Assembly unanimously approved the pharmacy bill after confirmation by the Senate, sending the legislation to Gov. Jerry Brown.

If Brown does not use his veto powers, pharmacists would be granted a wider range of practice, including the right to administer hormonal contraceptives and prescription smoking-cessation drugs, and independently initiate and administer routine vaccinations.

The bill would also create a new certification “advanced practice pharmacist,” which would allow a practitioner who is collaborating with one or more doctors to “adjust or discontinue a drug therapy” as long as they promptly notify the patient’s doctor.

Hernandez championed the bill, and two others that focused on nurse practitioners and optometrists, as a way of coping with an expected doctor shortage that many think will increase when federal health reform extends health insurance to millions starting on Jan. 1, 2014.

Heavily opposed by the California Medical Society, the nurse practitioner bill died in the assembly’s appropriations committee in late August. The third bill, which focused on optometrists, has been made into a two-year effort.

Hernandez said Monday that he believes the pharmacists bill will help cope with any doctor shortage, though it will likely take time for the state pharmacy board to make necessary changes it its own procedural regulations.

“There are over 40,000 pharmacists in the state of California that can step up and help very quickly, and I believe they can easily be integrated into the system,” Hernandez said.